CLINTONESQUE MOVE TENURES HORMEL

Catalyst July/August Issue 1999

For the past few years, President Clinton has been trying to appoint James Hormel as Ambassador to Luxembourg. The U.S. Senate has deliberately held up this appointment, partly because Hormel still refuses to dissociate himself from the anti-Catholic group, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. During the 10-day Memorial Day recess, Clinton installed Hormel without congressional approval.

The league characterized this move as “quintessentially Clintonesque,” charging that “the president showed contempt for Congress by doing an end-run around the legislative process.” “That he managed to offend Catholic sensibilities as well is hardly a shocker,” the press release read.

The league then took its case directly to all the contenders for the 2000 presidential election. Letters were sent asking each candidate whether he agrees with President Clinton’s decision. The only person to respond thus far has been Dan Quayle, and he said he never would have appointed Hormel.

When Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma threatened to thwart all of President Clinton’s future nominations, the Catholic League publicly supported the move. We also wrote a letter to the Luxembourg News expressing our regrets that they got stuck with Hormel.